Once upon a time in Hollywood - A love letter to Hollywood

One of the fundamental conflicts in appreciating art is about who validates the quality of the art.

Is it the unsophisticated bystander with limited resources and tools of understanding, gazing at an artwork that pleases his simple mind?

Is it the ardent follower of the creator's body of work who appreciates every bit of detail that the creator had infused into his work?

Or is it the wise critique who reflects upon art with worldly wisdom, but may sometimes look down upon art and consider himself to be far more superior to the creator of the work under review?

Watching Quentin Tarantino's films present a perfect opportunity to ponder upon the problem statement, especially at these times when it is hard to find the difference between an average bystander and a wise critique. The lines are getting blurry.

The definition of a good movie doesn't necessarily end with the chaos in Taxi Driver, finesse of The God Father or the complexity of Mulholland Drive. Tarantino keeps reminding us to enjoy pop culture, love for automobiles (not the Fast and Furious bullshit) and heroism as much as we appreciate the neo-noir works.

The flagbearer of contemporary method acting school, Leonardo Decaprio delivers yet another stunning performance in OUATH. Leo plays the role of Rick Dalton, an ester while TV superstar walking into his sunset, all the way fighting self-pity, alcoholism and redemption. Leo is at the peak of his form, and you walk into the movie hall expecting him to give his best. And oh boy he does that and how! As Rick slowly fits into the skin of the alter ego he plays in the movie within the movie, his character goes through a huge metamorphosis. Leo skillfully pulls an act where an average western TV show hero turns in to a great actor. It is a visual treat for those who enjoy fine acting but of course, as the trend goes, the Academy Award for the Best Actor this year may very well go to someone else who plays a melancholic character fighting some obscure terminal disease.

Brad Pitt as Cliff booth, Rick Dalton's stunt double, is the ultimate Tarantino superhero. Only second next to Samuel Jackson's Jules from Pulp Fiction. Cliff is a cool customer smirking at the face of the devil himself (SPOILERS!!!). He glides his Boss's Cadillac through the city like waltzing with a lady in a ballroom and drives back the same road in his Karmann Ghia like a raging torrent rushing through the rocks. Hold your breath when Brad takes his automobile for a sharp turn around the now infamous Cielo Drive up the hills. Even when he has to do the most mundane job in the world like fixing a broken TV antenna, he does it with swag. Ok. That's one shot ladies can rejoice forever and equate with the likes bikini-clad Ursula Andress from Dr. No or Megan Fox leaning over the car hood from the Transformers. I know. I know. Please don't judge me with the choice of references and bombard me with a list of "what abouts". Booth is not all perfect, and he has his share of shady history and mistakes that cost his career and reputation. But he stays strong and smiles all the way. Wait for the shot when the camera pans over Spahn Movie Ranch while Brad Pitt walks in like a Lion strolling into a Hyena clan. No. I am not going to talk about the Bruce Lee scene and spoil your fun. Peter Bradshaw admits that he was laughing for about three minutes after that scene. I did not clock myself, but I remember laughing my guts out.

While the debate goes on whether this is the 9th or 10th movie for Tarantino, the man is self-convinced that this is his penultimate chance to write a love letter to something he loves the most. Cinema. If you are watching closely, you might catch him cheating around with her sister, Television shows.

OUATH is no Avatar or Lord of the Rings to redefine technology or the movie-making process but pure movie-making at its best. Mexican standoffs, close-up shots, brilliant soundtracks, character development and a dramatic finish.

If you are a new movie enthusiast, please do a bit of homework before watching OUATH. Watch Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy, at least The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Did you enjoy the raw heroism in Pulp fiction, Reservoir Dogs and Death Proof? If the answer is negative, you are better off binge-watching something else on Netflix.

Tarantino's fans are in for a great treat. 60's music, vintage automobiles, movie stars playing movie star roles, macho men in brown leather jackets, bare-knuckle punches, monologues and jaw-dropping camera angles. That  subset of fans who are expecting some feet fetish action, can brace themselves for feet galore. There are some intense social media discussions and surveys on the number of feet shots and screen time.

Those who are deeply concerned with the discrimination that Margot Robbie didn't get enough dialogues, can save precious three hours of their lives, by not watching this movie. First of all, Rick & Cliff are playing the roles of outsiders peeking into the lives of their flamboyant neighbours. Secondly, this is not a biopic but an obvious macho movie. Naysayers of all-white macho men movies can wait for the next Star Wars sequel where an Asian, a Latino and an African-American from all the genders, will be cast. And they will undoubtedly be given an equal amount of dialogues and screen time as their all-white co-stars. May the force be with you.

At the movie hall, I was seated next to a guy who had brought his girlfriend for a movie date night. During the break time, she was roasting the poor guy for bringing her to a  boring movie where characters keep talking, yet the crowd laughs for no reason like a bunch of maniacs. When the movie got over, she was dashing for the exit, and the guy went running after her while the crowd stood up and gave standing applause. Well. Either you are in the crowd applauding, or you are running for the exit.